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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22408072">Moonlight and coffee</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnnaHawk/pseuds/AnnaHawk'>AnnaHawk</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Always time for coffee [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Daredevil (TV), The Punisher (TV 2017)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Caring Reader, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Porn with Feelings, Sex, Smut, Sweet, a lot of feelings, always time for coffee series, everything is completely consensual, frank castle deserves good things, frank/reader friendship, very slight ptsd</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-01-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 13:06:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,478</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22408072</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnnaHawk/pseuds/AnnaHawk</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>You will always be there for Frank.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Frank Castle/Original Female Character(s), Frank Castle/Reader, Frank Castle/You</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Always time for coffee [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1366675</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>72</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Moonlight and coffee</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Previously called "Outnumbered" but I came to hate that title since it didn't follow in the same spirit as the others.</p><p>And on with the next part. It got kind of heavy again but not as dark as the fourth part.<br/>What happens here has been one of my first ideas when I came up with this series. It didn't really fit until now. I've been reading one huge and amazing Sterek fanfic throughout January and it made me very emotional. This is how the part came along finally. I hope you'll enjoy it.<br/>WARNING : there might be some triggering stuff for some people in here, so I'll be leaving more infos in the end notes if you want to make sure.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>You jerk awake and move groggily to turn from your back to lay on your left side, your mind still sluggish from the weird dream you just woke from. The details are slipping away from you the more you are trying to remember it, as dreams are wont to do, but it was something about the coffee grinder and the coffee beans having an argument. Ugh, you’ll have to take some days off if you are starting to have those kinds of dreams. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The weather in New York City is bitter cold right now and people cram themselves into every coffee house they find. Good for your business of course but a hell of a lot of work as well. You’ve come home late last night, finishing of some preparations with Sandra and barely had the strength to eat something, shower quickly and then stumble into bed where you promptly passed out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>You smack your lips and notice your throat is completely parched. You reach up to your bedside table where you usually put a glass of water for the night but in your tired state, you forgot to do it earlier. You groan and slowly blink your eyes open until you can focus enough to sit up and head for the bathroom where you usually leave a glass. You purposely don't switch on the light so you don't fully wake up. You obviously know the layout of your place by heart. At the sink, you fill the glass and drain it in a few long gulps before filling it again and taking it to your bedroom. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Your eyes land on the little clock on your bedside table which reads 3.12am. You breathe a sigh of relief at the fact that you'll be able to get another few hours of sleep before heading back to work. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>You put the glass on the table and lay back down, putting the covers back over you and snuggling into your pillow, closing your eyes. Once you are a minimum awake, you usually take some time to fall back asleep but you hope that the tiredness will help you this time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>You try to even out your breaths and not think about anything in particular when you think you hear a rythmique kind of sound coming from your living room. Your eyes snap open and your brain comes a little bit more to life to concentrate on it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ever since the last time Frank came injured and nearly broken to your home, you have taken the habit of leaving your bedroom door open so you can hear him better in case he decides, once again, to hide, then just leave and not seek out your help. You wouldn't put it past him, knowing him. But the only sound you hear is a slow deep rasp and it takes you a few seconds to realise that it’s someone else's breathing. Like someone deep in sleep, snoring lightly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>You roll your eyes, both at yourself because you still didn't hear the front door opening or anything, thanks to your tired brain, and at Frank for not making himself known, again. He better not be injured or he would get an earful, no matter what state of pain he might be in and whatnot. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>You rise from your bed, fetch a light bathrobe from the bathroom, and put it over your tank top and panties. You don't like sleeping in big pyjamas even in the dead of winter because you get too hot, but once outside of bed, you get cold real fast. Good thing your building has top notch heating. You pad barefoot across the hardwood floor of you room (yes even the floor is heated, thank you very much) and peek out the door to look into your living room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>From this angle, you can only see the length of your couch but you can definitely distinguish a figure lying on their back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sky is completely devoid of any clouds and it’s close to the full moon so the room is thrown into stark contrast where the moonshine hits. As you walk closer, Frank’s profile is illuminated, large crooked nose thrown into relief, mouth slack in slumber and the usual perpetual frown gone from his brow. You look over him, trying to see if there is any kind of damage to his face, which is the only part of his body you can see. He seems uninjured. You sigh slightly, part out of exasperation because you would have liked him to wake you and because you don't know if he's really alright. At least he’s had the mind to take off his shoes and winter coat, which is thrown over the back of the couch, and use one of the throws to cover himself with. Your couch is rather comfortable and large but not really deep, at least not deep enough to hold a large man such as Frank. Even if he had lied down on his side, it wouldn't have been much more comfortable. And knowing you have a queen size in your room, why let him sleep on the couch. It’s not like you never slept in the same bed anyway. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>So you go to stand in front of the couch and decide to act slowly. You don't know in what state of mind he is and you don't want to startle him. You slowly reach down to his face, intending to softly stroke over his left cheek and whisper his name. But the second your hand comes into contact with his skin, Frank jerks awake and you know you made a mistake. In a fraction of a second, you are thrown on the other side of the couch, breath knocked out of you and thus stopping the startled yelp you were about to utter. The hand that was on his face is now being gripped at the wrist by Frank’s left hand and pushed out straight to the side of the couch. His other hand is wrapped around your throat, not really squeezing but holding you down, his large frame looming over you. Frank is panting harshly, breath hot and fast on your face, dark eyes wild and gleaming in the eery light of the moon. You wrap your fingers around the wrist of the hand still around your throat, not because you are scared he might hurt you, but to anchor Frank. You can see the moment Frank comes back to himself and realises where he is and you tighten your hold on him, seeing the anguish that his actions caused in the widening of his eyes and sure he'll want to bolt. You are proven right when he releases your throat and your wrist at the same time and tries to move away quickly. The momentum helps you sit back up but you won't let go of his wrist. Frank is forced to stay in a half crouched position in front of you and stares at you with a pained and worried expression. You slip to the edge of the couch to be at the same eye level as him. You slowly let go of his wrist and lift your hands, mindful of keeping them in his line of sight, and put them over the sides of his neck where you can feel his pulse still beating rabbit fast. He is still rigid in front of you but you let your fingers slide up to his face, stroking over his jaw with your thumbs and pulling his face to yours, resting your forehead against his, closing your eyes and exhaling slowly. Frank seems to finally relax by a fraction and does the same, breathing out slowly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m…” Frank starts but you don't let him continue, hearing the sorrow in just this one syllable. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come to bed” you nearly whisper, talking over him, not letting him beat himself up about this. You know he will eventually, but right now, you won't let him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>You stand up from the couch and tug him up with you. Frank goes with the motion and you use his willingness to pull him toward your room. Only your joined footsteps are heard in your apartment until you reach the side of the bed closest to the window and come to a halt. You don’t turn on the light, the moonshine again enough to see enough and you don’t want to break this moment. You turn to face Frank again and put your hands on the hem of his sweater to tug it up. Frank gets the message and lifts his arms to help you get it off. You look him over quickly but you can’t detect anything in particular in this light so you give up and hope Frank will tell you if anything is wrong. Next, you move your hands to his belt and unbuckle it, the metal clinking faintly as you do it and then unbutton and unzip his jeans. You go down on your knees in front of him and help him take them off as well. The socks go quickly and then Frank is standing in only his boxer shorts. You get back up but don’t try to make eye contact because you know he would be too uncomfortable to look at you right now. So you take off your robe, throwing it haphazardly to the other end of the bed and take one of his hands and pull him on the bed. Frank follows wordlessly. You make him lie down on his side, facing toward you and then snuggle up to him and tug the covers back over the two of you. You move so that your head rests on his outstretched arm, face against his chest, right arm against both your stomachs and left arm thrown over his waist, hugging him to you. You feel the tenseness in his body at the unexpected closeness your giving him but when you start to very slowly draw your fingers up and down his spine in a soothing caress, you feel him sagging against you. His arms move carefully until the one you’re lying on wraps around your shoulders and the other one comes around your waist. You hear and feel how he takes a deep breath and exhales it raggedly against the top of your hair before he tugs you impossibly closer. You stop your hand and hug him back just as fiercely, showing him you are still here, you’re not going anywhere and don’t need any apologies. He kisses the crown of your head, his lips staying there for a few beats before his embrace slackens a bit to give you more room. You smile fondly and return the kiss against one clavicle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sleep, Frank” you tell him softly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>You keep your eyes open for a little while in the darkness of his arms and listen as his heartbeat steadies slowly. When you finally close your eyes, you fall asleep nearly instantly.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span> ~</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>The next time you open your eyes, barely there morning light is shining into the room, illuminating it in soft colours. But it’s not the light that woke you as you are facing the other way. You apparently moved during your sleep because although Frank is still wrapped around you, you now have your back to him and the covers are only up to your hips. You’re not cold considering the big wall of warmth against your back. Your head is on the pillow but your neck is laying over the same arm as last night. Said arm lying across your chest and shoulder and the other one over your waist, hand against your stomach. Frank’s breaths are slow and even against your neck but you can tell that he isn’t really asleep anymore. You shift around to try and turn to face him but his arms tighten around you and stop you from doing so. You put an arm over the one on your waist and a hand over the wrist of the one over your shoulder and wiggle around to try and at least turn your head a bit when you hear him grunt and curse slightly. You freeze in what you’re doing when you feel the reason for his swearing. You chuckle warmly and rub your ass against his erection, making him tighten his arms even more and eliciting a wheezed laugh from you. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry” he rasps against your neck but you don’t know why he’s apologizing and are about to tell him as much when it clicks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m fine, Frank” you tell him quietly. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>We’re</span>
  </em>
  <span> fine”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I could have-” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You didn’t! And I should have been more careful so please… let it go?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>You can nearly hear Frank’s mind turning everything over until he relaxes again and kisses your neck softly. You sigh softly in relief and smile as you close your eyes against the feeling. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>You stretch against him, some of your joints popping from staying in the same position for so long but apparently the movement made you rub up against Frank’s hard on again because he groans loudly this time and bucks his hips into yours. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re a fuckin’ tease!” he rumbles against your ear, the hand on your shoulder moving down under the top of your tank top to one of your breasts and tweaking one nipple with calloused fingertips. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not on purpose this time” you gasp and then moan when he flicks it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t say anything to that and starts mouthing and nipping around your neck and shoulder, pushing the fabric over it with the hand coming back out of your top. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His other hand snakes its way into your panties, just over your pubic bone, and flattens his warm palm against it to push you back against him. He growls deeply, the pressure probably feeling good and you swivel your hips for help. His fingers dip a little further down until his middle finger is able to stroke over your dampening folds. This time it’s your turn to groan and push your hips up for more. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His other hand seems to instinctively move to your neck and throat before Frank seems to remember himself and remove it. You reach up with a hand to stop him and place his hand over your throat again. Frank's breathing starts quickening again and you make him fold his fingers lightly around it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I like your hand here” you admit in a soft voice. You’ve always found having a hand around your throat arousing. It isn’t about breath play or choking or anything, it's more the sign of possessiveness and trust that you find hot. And especially with someone as strong and powerful as Frank who treats you with nothing but respect. Besides, Frank's hands have always done it for you. You really don’t want last night’s events to ruin that for either of you because you believe Frank is into it too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Frank gives a tentative squeeze and you moan, both in excitement and relief that he accepts your words for being true.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The things you do to me, Love” he rasps and you think you detect some form of desperation in his voice but the thought is interrupted by Frank sliding his finger over your clit and rubbing it slowly. You groan and throw your head back as much as you can with Frank behind you, baring your throat even more. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Frank bites the skin exposed to him and you rock together, Frank stroking over you and you push back into him, your arm over his. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And yet, you want more. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>So you start turning your head so you can look Frank straight in the eye. At least as much as this position allows you to. Frank looks completely disheveled, hair sleep tousled and eyes dark with want. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fuck me!” you whisper intently and Frank blinks. “Please” you beg, licking your lower lip and this time Frank closes his eyes and growls. He removes the hand from inside your panties to push them down over your hips hurriedly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>You both make quick work of getting your remaining clothes off and tossing them out of bed as well as kicking the covers down. . </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When you’re done, Frank lifts the leg that is on top over his hip to open you more to him and positions himself behind you. He pushes into you in one swift thrust, taking your breath away. You moan loudly on your next exhale, your arm thrown over his ass and push back against him. His hand is still on your throat and his mouth works over it as well as your shoulders as he snaps his hips forward in quick and effective stabs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>You thrust back onto him as much as you can until Frank moves up from behind you and rolls you over on your front. His cock leaves you as he kneels back up behind you and you are momentarily thrown at his actions before he takes your hips in both hands and pulls them up. You are about to move to your hands and knees, totally on board with this new position, but Frank puts a hand between your shoulder blades to keep your upper body down so only your ass is in the air. You feel completely exposed but in the best way possible and spread your legs until Frank has you at the height he wants you. Then he shuffles in between your legs and slides smoothly right back into you. You cry out at the depth this position offers, sound muffled in the pillow below you. Frank sets up a punishing pace, hands on your hips and you can only take and take and take. Every snap of his hips, every hard thrust deep inside you. You nearly scream yourself horse at the onslaught of pleasure, fingers gripping the pillow under your head hard. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fuck, you feel so fuckin’ good!” Frank growls from behind you. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Your answer comes out in a garbled mess of words and sounds of assent. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>At some point, you feel Frank leaning slightly over your back, his fingers tangling in your hair, before he tugs you gently up again until you are nearly sitting astride him, legs splayed over his knees with your back to his chest. His cock is buried deeper than ever before inside you in this position. The fingers in your hair slide out of them and slip down around your throat again, just resting there. For now. You lean your head over his shoulder, eyes closed, as his other hand snakes around your middle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So fuckin’ gorgeous” he raps into your ear and slowly pulls back, nearly out and then snaps his hips up roughly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh Fuck!” you shriek at the intensity. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And again, Frank fucks you steadily, hard and fast, knocking every other breath out of you. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Your previous encounters have all been incredible but the intensity and sheer force he uses on you right now are new. A very, </span>
  <em>
    <span>very </span>
  </em>
  <span>good new. There's this underlying sense of desperation, just like before, in the way he's holding you to him as well, like he wants to prove something. You don't know what and maybe you're imagining things, but you put your left hand on the one around your waist and lift the right one behind his head to angle his head towards yours. You turn your head to capture his mouth into a deep kiss, neither of you caring about morning breath. His thrusts falter for a few seconds as Frank sinks into the kiss and releases a long moan, then start again at a more leisurely pace. The hand on your throat tightens and you gasp into his mouth before whimpering brokenly and rocking back on him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Frank" you whisper, lips still so close to his, body starting to shiver from all the stimulation. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I gotcha, sweetheart" Frank grunts and pulls on your hips until your back arcs a bit more away from him. Like this, he has the perfect angle to thrust back into you in longer and even more powerful thrusts. You grab the arm around you with both hands and after only a few more thrusts, your body starts to tremble even harder, long drawn out moans escaping your lips. When Frank squeezes your throat just that little fraction tighter, you finally explode over him, your legs quivering as your orgasm crashes through you in intense waves, your already bowed back going rigid with it, breath and scream of ecstasy stuck in your throat, unable to come out, the pleasure so overwhelming.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Frank speaks nonsensical words of praise against your temple, your brain not even registering any of them, his lips dragging against your skin while he fucks you steadily through it all. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once you start getting control over your breathing again, Frank picks up speed again, making you gasp and cry out, now chasing his own completion. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>You reach up to the hand on your neck again, resting your fingers over his larger ones and turn your head to nip at his jaw. Frank slams one last time inside you before he stills, hips pressed tightly against yours. His arm around your middle and the fingers on your throat tighten again briefly, making your groan and it’s his turn to moan deeply in his chest. You feel his chest rising and falling harshly, Frank breathing in and out deeply.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Frank eventually releases your neck and your head falls forward over your chest. He still keeps you close to him, now both arms around you. You keep your eyes closed and feel him resting his forehead on your nape. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>You stay like this until both your breathing are more or less back to normal. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Frank let’s you go then and you nearly face plant into the mattress, you are so boneless and sated. You hear Frank chuckle slightly before he lays back next to you. You can feel his eyes on you so you turn your head first and then your body to face him. He looks even more rumpled than before but now he looks more relaxed and sated as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good morning” you say with a grin and Frank snorts and shakes his head fondly at you, making you laugh in return. Frank reaches down to the duvet and tugs it over your still cooling bodies.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>You just watch each other quietly for a few minutes but soon enough you bite your lower lip and sigh. You don’t want to break the good mood but if you don’t say anything, you know Frank will just leave, never telling you what’s going on and beat himself up for last night’s events. So good mood or not... </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know you can’t and won’t tell me everything and you know I’m okay with it but… considering you came here this late.. I suppose something </span>
  <em>
    <span>is </span>
  </em>
  <span>going on?” you ask slowly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As expected, and you hate yourself a bit for causing it, Frank’s face shutters and he looks away, although he seems to be thinking about an answer. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m onna recon mission outta New York right now … ‘n nothin’ actually happened las’ night… is just… I was dead tired ‘n you were the safest and closest place I could think of…” he rumbles quietly, lifting his eyes to yours as he speaks. “I’m sorry for how I reacted (he holds a hand up to stop you from speaking the second you open your mouth. So you clamp it shut unhappily but keep listening intently)... bu’ you know how far I can stay in my head… I barely even remember gettin’ here… is like bein’ on autopilot sometimes…” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The look he gives you is apologetic and you just sight, so many emotions running through you. It pains you that he can never seem to really be at peace but you’re also incredibly glad that he trusts you so much that he considers you as being the safest place, when you know he could probably seek out Curtis or even Karen Page, as well. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you for telling me” you tell him earnestly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Frank just shrugs and does this kind of nod where his head goes minutely back and forth and side to side that he sometimes does. Especially when agitated. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>You lean in to kiss him very softly on the lips when your phone goes off on your bedside table. You both jump, except </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> nearly lift a feet from the mattress in shock. You turn to reach the phone, feet tangling in the sheets, and see it’s an incoming call from Sandra. You frown but when your eyes catch the time at the top of the screen, your eyes widen and you swipe to accept the call. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shit, sorry, sorry I overslept!” you ramble into the phone. It’s now nearly 9.30 in the morning and your were supposed to be at work at 8. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>You had me fucking worried!” </span>
  </em>
  <span>comes Sandra’s stressed out screech. Considering you’re as good as never late, it doesn’t surprise you. You’ve been late before, sure, but the fact that you live just a few minutes away means it has never been more than ten minutes. Being the boss doesn’t mean you can just come in whenever you want and both you and Sandra work really hard to keep up with the quality people came to expect from your coffee house. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm so sorry, Sandra… I kinda had a rough night and… I'll be there soon" you finish lamely. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sandra mumbles something unintelligible, probably some insults about scaring her to death, but seems to mellow now she knows your okay. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>You finish the phone call quickly after that, apologising again and telling her you'd see her later.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When you hang up, you toss the phone on the table again and flop down onto your back, huffing. You aren’t really in the mood for work right now. It had completely slipped your mind after everything that happened in the last few hours. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aren’t ya supposed to get up now ‘n start runnin’ ‘round in panic?” Frank asks from beside you, amusement very clear in your ears.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Funny” you deadpan, turning your head to face his smirk and back slap him in the chest for his trouble. “Now she knows I’m not lying dead in some ditch, a few more minutes won’t kill her… besides, everyone else's there so…" you flap a hand dismissively. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Comfortable silence descends upon you again as you lay next to each other. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When you turn your body to face him completely though, you make a soft noise of discomfort when you feel the slickness between your legs begin to trickle down further. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Guess I should clean up and get ready" you grumble in annoyance at having to move from the bed and the warm man inside it. "Wanna go first?" you ask, nodding your head towards the bathroom. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nah, I'm good. Go ahead… I don' hafta be anywhere before tonight" he tells you with a one shoulder shrug. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay” you say in a ‘suit yourself’ tone and kick the duvet back from you. You get up and walk a few paces before stretching luxuriously, a couple joints popping in your back as you do it. You feel a little sore in all the good places, Frank really did an amazing job at fucking you into bliss. You turn slightly towards him to tell him as much, when you see him staring at you with a self-satisfied smirk on his face, showing he is already well aware of that fact. So you only grin widely at him and wink saucily before sauntering fully naked into your bathroom. You hear his amused laugh before you close the door. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>You only shower quickly to get the morning’s activities traces off but otherwise make quick work of getting ready. You exit the bathroom in a towel to head into your dressing room and get some clothes. Frank is still lying comfortably on your bed and you have to bite your lip to stop from smiling goofily. You’re always so happy when he seems able to relax even just a little around you. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m done in there” you say in passing and he gets up to take your place in the bathroom. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once you’re done putting your clothes on, you head to your kitchen, hearing Frank using the shower as well as you walk by the door. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>While you wait for him to finish up, you prepare a heavy dose of black coffee just for him, putting it into a big thermos mug and make a double shot espresso for yourself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He comes out of your room fully clothed, albeit in just his socks as his shoes are still next to the couch where he left them last night, just as you finish drinking your coffee. He smells the air appreciatively as he walks toward you. You grin and he hums in delight when you hand him his huge coffee.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I really need to go so I thought you might want to take the coffee with you and not have to drink it here when </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’m </span>
  </em>
  <span>not even here… I mean… you can if you want but-” you start babbling away but Frank stops you.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks” he says simply but with intent, locking eyes with you.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>You smile softly and move away to put your cup in the dishwasher. “You can bring back the mug next time” you tell him with your back to his and he just grunts in agreement. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, listen” Frank speaks again and you turn to look at him. He eyes you for a second and then looks down, turning the mug around in his hands. He lifts a hand away from the mug to scratch the back of his neck and looks up again. You stay quiet and look at him expectantly. “‘bout that recon mission… I’ll be outta town a lot for the next couple weeks or more… I don’ know how long it’s gonna take bu’... I promise I’ll come to the shop whenever I’m in town”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>You blink slowly and then smile big and fond at him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you” you say quietly. You know he’s doing it for you. So that you don't have to worry about him too much. And the fact that he explicitly </span>
  <em>
    <span>promised </span>
  </em>
  <span>to do it, means everything to you.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He clears his throat uncomfortably and looks down and up again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We should head out, righ’?” he says, nodding to the front door once and taking a sip of his coffee.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, yeah, right” you say quickly, coming out of your musings. You walk to the main door to put on your shoes, coat and scarf, while Frank goes to the couch to get his stuff and does the same. He joins you at the door as you pick up your handbag and open the door. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ready?” you ask as you turn to him and he just nods in assent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He walks out before you and you lock the door behind you. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>You walk together toward the elevator when he stops before the stairwell door. You stop walking when you notice but he speaks before you can ask anything.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll take the stairs” he says, indicating the door with a thumb. “So we don’t go out at the same time” he explains further. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right” you respond slowly, not happy about it but you know Frank won’t take any chances and won’t back down from it. So you lick your lips and press them together before nodding in reluctant acceptance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Frank leans forward and presses his lips to your temple. “See ya around, Sweetheart” he says, voice like gravel and steps away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>You watch him open the door and turn to you again, hand on the handle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>You sigh lightly but smile anyway. “Yeah… see ya”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then he’s gone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>You walk into the elevator and sigh explosively as the doors shut and it starts taking you down. You lean against one of the mirrored walls and close your eyes, arms crossed, while you wait. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>You hate that your encounters are always so bittersweet. Yet you know that there’s nothing you can do about it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once you are in the lobby and walk across it, you take a fortifying breath in front of the main doors and throw them open. The crisp winter air greets you and you inhale it greedily to clear your mind. You look around but don’t see Frank. He’s probably still getting down the stairs, taking his time so you can go out first. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>You take your gloves out of your handbag and put them on, because even if it’s only a few minutes walk, the cold is brutal on your fingers and the pockets are definitely not enough. Then you turn to the right and start walking.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>- Reader wakes Frank up and as he doesn't remember where he is, he kind of attacks her by tackling her to the couch and grabbing her by the throat. He doesn't injure her in any way but she's startled for sure.<br/>- Frank has his hand around reader's neck and squeezes it during sex. It's 100% consensual and they talk about it rapidly. There is no actual breath play or chocking. Just some pressure but reader can breath normally.</p><p> </p><p>Fair warning for the next part : it's much longer than what I've written until now. There's a lot going on. A good dose of angst and feelings. So if you're still reading, grab a cup of your best coffee (or tea if you must) and prepare yourself for the ride 😉</p></blockquote></div></div>
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